In addition to the
PhD, aspirants will have to clear the National Eligibility Test or an
accredited test (state level eligibility test) or other similar exams.
So far, at the entry
level, the minimum eligibility requirement for an assistant professor was that
they should have cleared the National Eligibility Test (NET) and have a Masters
degree.
From 2021, a PhD will
be a must for teaching at university level , even for assistant professors,
which is the entry level designation for instructors in universities, according
to a draft policy document seen by Hindustan Times.
Teachers will undergo
a mandatory, month-long induction programme before starting work and also have
to devote two hours for mentoring of students for community
development/extra-curricular activities.
According to a senior
Human Resource Development (HRD) ministry official who asked not to be
identified, these changes have been made to enhance the quality of education in
the higher education sector. This person added that the University Grants
Commission (UGC) will soon define the minimum qualifications for teachers.
So far, at the entry
level, the minimum eligibility requirement for an assistant professor was that
they should have cleared the National Eligibility Test (NET) and have a Masters
degree.
The government is
likely to notify the new qualifications and other measures for the maintenance
of standards in higher education soon.
In addition to the
PhD, aspirants will have to clear the National Eligibility Test (NET) or an
accredited test (state level eligibility test) or other similar exams, HRD
ministry officials added.
However, those who
obtained PhDs before 2009 will not be required to clear NET.
UGC , which had put up
the draft regulations online for suggestions and objections, has incorporated
all the changes and sent it to the HRD ministry for approval.
Some of the other
features of the regulations include doing away with the Academic Performance
Indicator (API) based appraisal , the introduction of a simplified teacher
evaluation grading system, and the addition of a academic/research score for
universities to improve research output.
In addition to this,
promotion in colleges up to the level of associate professor will be based on
teaching-centric metrics and in universities, teaching and research-centric. A
PhD has also been made mandatory for promotion to the level of associate
professor in colleges and assistant professor (Selection Grade) in
universities.
To encourage the
return of best brains who made a mark in foreign universities, a special
provision has been made in the in eligibility conditions for recruitment of
assistant professors in universities and colleges. All those who have a PhD
degree from a university/institutions with a ranking among top 500 in the World
University Ranking (at any time) by Quacquarelli Symonds (QS), the Times Higher
Education (THE) or the Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU) of the
Shanghai Jiao Tong University (Shanghai) will be eligible for direct
recruitment and not be required to clear NET.
“The Seventh Pay
Commission had recommended that PhD should be the minimum eligibility for
recruitment at universities. After much consideration, it was decided that it
should be applicable from 2021. NET as the minimum eligibility criteria is
important for a diverse country and as there are so many different subjects,”
said VS Chauhan, who was the chairman of the pay review commission for the
seventh Central Pay Commission (CPC), and is the current chairman of National
Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC).
“I am unaware as to
what has prompted these changes. I am sure that there must be some wisdom
behind them,” said Dinesh Singh, former Vice Chancellor of Delhi University.
Singh added that it
was ironical that because it isn’t in the Top 500 globally, the University of
Delhi will, in effect, not be able to hire its own PhDs directly and require
them to clear NET. “I have first-hand knowledge of so many doctoral students of
the universities whose doctoral work have been deemed outstanding at the global
level and have been published in outstanding research journals. Such PhDs will
be humiliated by making them take the NET exam,” he added.
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